Time-controlled switch



L. L. FULLER.

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED. JULY 14,1919.

Patented May 11, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

avwemtoz jlmfi L. L FULLER.

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14.1919

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Patented May 11, 1920.

amuemtoz lij zaZZfig L. L. FULLER.

TIME CONTROLLED SWITCH.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1919. 1,340,039. Patented y 11, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

wuzutoz UNITED STATFZS PATENT OFFICE.

LEXIE L. FULLER, OF PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

TIME-CONTROLLED SWITCH.

Application filed July 14, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lnxrn L. FULLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pine Bluff, in the county of Jefferson and State of Arkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Time- Controlled Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a clock operated switch for electric motor and light circuits, whereby such circuits may be rendered operative at a certain de sired time and continued in operation until such time as is desired to stop the supply of current. To this end the invention comprises a conventional clock mechanism and certain apparatus operatively connected thereto, the said apparatus comprising circuit closing devices and means for operating such devices from the minute spindle of the clock works. Means are provided in connection with said devices whereby the latter may be set as desired to operate it any predetermined time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a time controlled switch which is simple in construction, durable and effective in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other and further objects appear in the following description wherein the invention is set forth in detail.

To. the exact construction in which it is shown and described the invention is not to be restricted. The right is reserved to make such changes or alterations as the actual reduction to practice may suggest, in so far as such changes or alterations are compatible in spirit with the annexed claims.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of the device with a rear view of the circuit closing and opening mechanism within the device.

Fig. 2- is a top plan view of the structure in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of'the device.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified construction.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the structure in Fig. 5.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Serial No. 310,627c

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the circuit closed disks.

As shown, the invention comprises a casing 1 in the front part of which the conventional clock mechanism is designed to be carried, such mechanism being provided with the usual minute spindle 2 on which the minute hand 3 is carried, the hour hand 4: being carried on the usual arbor and both hands read on the dial 5 to indicate the time.

The case is of sufficient depth to house both the time indicating mechanism and the circuit controlling mechanism hereinafter described and comprising the invention. A division plate 6 is employed and mounted in the casing between the time indicating or clock mechanism and the circuit controlling mechanism. The minute spindle 2 is extended through this plate and through the back of the casing to receive a knurled head 7 by means of which it may be turned, so that it may be employed in the usual way to set the clock mechanism according to the time of day. On the minute spindle and between the division plate 6 and the back of the casing there is mounted a pinion 8, this pinion meshing with a gear 9 rotatably mounted on a stud 10, there being also mounted on the stud 10 for rotary movement thereon a pinion 11 which is fixed against angular movement with respect to the gear 9 with which it is concentric. The gear 9 is of the usual thickness provided in mechanisms of this sort but the pinion 11 is made with a relatively great width of face for a purpose hereinafter appearing.

Meshing with the pinion 11 there are the gears 12 and 13, each being loosely mounted on a spindle 14: which extends through the casing from the front to the rear protruding through the back of the latter and re ceiving a knurled head 15 by means of which it may be turned and receiving on its forward end which projects through the dial a hand 16. Two small dials 17 are formed on the face of the dial 15 and over the indications on these dials the hands 16 read.

The gears 12 and 13 are both mounted for both longitudinal and angular movement on their respective spindles, the two gears on their back faces carrying the cam rings 18 in the free edges of which-that is, the edges opposite the gears-there are formed the V-shaped recesses 19. These V-shaped recesses are formed with one edge perpendicular to the free edge of the cam rings and the other edge disposed angularly with respect to the free edge of the cam ring but the said notches in the two cam rings are oppositely positioned with reference to each other.

The spindles 11 carry the radially disposed pins against which the free edges of the cams engage, and, the spindles remaining normally stationary, the cam rings rotate with respect to them, so that at some time in the revolution of each, the recess 19 is brought opposite the pin, in which case the gear carried by that particular cam is slid longitudinally along the spindle toward the back of the casing. The means for effecting this movement of the gear is about to be described but it is to be noted in this connection that the pinion 11 which has been before mentioned as having a relatively wide face is of great enough width to remain in mesh with the gear despite the movement of the latter referred to.

Carried by the division plate 6 which is on either side of the minute spindle 2 there is a flat spring member 21, the two of these springs being attached to a plate 22 disposed transversely in the casing and at tached to the opposite sides thereof and formed with suitable openings therein through which the spindles 1 1 and the pinion 11 freely pass, so that the rotation of neither will be obstructed by the plate. The two flat spring members 21 are secured to the plate adjacent the pinion 11 and on diametrically opposite sides of the latter. From these points they extend diametrically across the gears 12 and 13, being formed with suitable eyes through which the spin dles 1 1 pass, and then. extend around in front of the gears to provide arms 23 and 21, the arm 24; having a part of the springs 21 behind the gear 13 and the arm 23 having a part of the spring 21 behind the gear 12.

Mounted upon the bottom of the casing there is a bracket support 25 on the top face of which and adjacent opposite ends there are carried disks 26, the latter being formed with the spaced peripheral. lugs or teeth 27 and with ratchet teeth 28 on their upper face. The two disks 26 are rotatably mounted on studs 29 between the heads of which and the top faces of the disks there are carried the spiral springs 30, the latter bearing upon This lever adjacent the opposite end carries a similar pawl 23% engaging the teeth 28 of the disk behind the gear 13. The lever 31 is extended beyond the point of connection of the pawl 34; therewith and at this extending end pivotally connects with a link which is also pivotally connected with the terminal of the arm 2%. Obviously, the rocking of the lever 32 on its post 31 will effect the intermittent rotary motion of the two disks and because of the pawls engaging these disks on the opposite sides of the centers, the two disks will move in the same relative direction.

At the terminal of the arm 23 there is carried a spring held pawl 37 engaging the teeth 28 of the disk behind the gear 12. This pawl is so disposed as to engage the teeth and cause intermittent rotary mo' tion of the said disk in the same direction in which rotary motion is imparted by the pawl 83.

Mounted on opposite sides of the casing 1 there are the spring contact members 38 which are designed to bear upon the lugs or teeth 27 of the disk. These contact members are inserted from the side walls of the casing, as indicated at 39 and connection made with them by means of suitable binding posts 40 mounted in the side walls of the casing and connecting with the contact members, as indicated at 11. These binding posts are inserted from the post as indicated at 42.

In the operation of the invention the two binding posts 40 are connected in series with the circuit to be controlled. If the two contacting members 38 bear against lugs 27 of the two disks as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, current may leave the source of supply, pass to one binding post 40 thence to the attendant contact member 38, thence to one of the disks and through its stud 29 to the bracket 25, thence to the stud 29 of the other disk and through the latter to the opposite contact member, thence to the remaining binding post and thence through the devices controlled by the switch and thence back to the source of supply.

In the showing in Figs. 1 and 2, the gear ratio between the minute spindle 2 and the gears 12 and 13 is as one is to twelve, so that for every revolution. of the minute spindle there will be of a revolution for the gears 12 and 13. The spindle 14: of the gear 12 is adjusted by means of its pointer 16 to a certain position, the pointer pointing to one of the numerals on the on dial. This positions the pin 20 of that spindle at a certain point. When the clock mechanism has moved until the hour and minute hands indicate the time indicated on the on dial, the notch 19 of the cam ring of the gear 12 will be opposite the pin 20 on its attendant spindle 14. The flat spring 21 behind the gear 12 is then free to operate and this will move the gear toward the back wall of the casing, at the same time driving the pawl 37 in this direction. If the contact member 38 on that side of the casing on which the gear 12 stands is opposite a space between the teeth or lugs 27, this operation of the pawl will serve to shift the disk with which it is operatively connected a suflicient distance to bring the lug into contact with the contact member. If the opposite contact member 38 be in contact with one of the teeth 27 on its attendant disk, a circuit will be established immediately the pawl 37 operates to move one tooth of its attendant disk into contact with its contact member 38.

To set the device to open the circuit at a certain time, the spindle 14 of the disk 13 is rotated to bring the pointer 16 of that disk opposite the desired indication on the off dial. When the clock mechanism has brought the hands 3 and 4 to the position where they indicate the time indicated on the off dial, the notch 19 of the cam ring of the gear 13 will be opposite the pin 20 of the spindle 14 of that gear when the spring 21 behind that gear may operate to move it just as the gear 12 is moved by its attendant spring. The result is that the arm 24, through the link 35 rocks the lever 32, thus causing the two pawls 34 and 33 to move the two disks 26 through a specified angular distance, moving both to positions where the two contact members 38 will be opposite a space between adjacent teeth on the two disks rather than on the edge of the teeth themselves. It will be observed that the arm 24, each time it is moved by the spring of which it is a part shifts both disks a specified angular distance, while the arm 23 shifts but one of these disks. Therefore, once in every 24 hours the two disks will be operated to simultaneously bring one of their teeth into contact with the two contact members 38. Every 12 hours when the two disks are operated by the arm 24 it will be to move the tooth of one out of contact with its attendant contact member 38 and the tooth of the other into contact with its at tendant contact member.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the improved construction is modified to the extent of operating but one disk in place of the two disks 26. This disk generally designated 43 is identical with the disks 26 with the exception of its being made slightly larger. It is mounted for turning movement on a bracket 44 similar to the bracket 25 and is carried thereon in a manner similar to the manner in which the disks 26 are carried. The two gears 45 and 46 make but of a revolution for every revolution of the spindle. They carry, however, cam rings 18 and are rota tably mounted on spindles 14, these cam rings playing against the pins 20 carried by the spindles 14. Behind each gear 45 and 46 there is mounted a flat spring member 21, the arm 23 of the one extending around in front of the 45 and carrying the pawl 37 which operativcly engages the teeth 28 of the disk. The arm 24 of the other is operatively connected to a lever 47 pivotally mounted on an appropriate post on top of the bracket 44 this operative connection being in the form of a link 48 and the lever opposite which is the point of connection with the link carrying the pawl 49 which is similar to the pawl The two flat springs 21 and their attendant arms 23 and 24 perform the same functions in this modified construction that they perform in the structure described above. The contact member 50 is mounted on the bracket 44 on the top thereof from which it is insulated as inclicated at 51. This contact member is posi tioned for engagement with any of the teeth of the disk 43 and as the disk is intermittently rotated these teeth are moved into and out of engagement with the contact member. Binding posts 52 and 53 are provided d mounted within the casing 1 and one of these binding posts is electrically connected with the contact member 50 and the other to the bracket 44. When the de vice is serially included in the electrical circuit with which devices it isto control the bringing of any one of the teeth of the disk 43 into engagement with the contact member 50, will serve to close the circuit current in passing through the device passing from the binding post 52 to the bracket 44, thence to the disk 43 and thence to the contact member 50 and thence to the binding post 53. lVhen the disk 43 is moved to a position where the contact member is positioned between adjacent teeth, continuity of circuit through the device is interrupted at this point.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear enough understanding of the invention is to be had to render further description unnecessary.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a time controlled switch, a pair of gear wheels, a cam ring carried by each gear wheel, a spindle on which each gear wheel is rotatably mounted, a pin carried by each spindle against which the cam member of its attendant gear engages, a circuit closing disk, and means rendered operative for turning the disk when either cam member reaches a to the pin on its attendant spindle.

2. In a time controlled switch, a pair of gear wheels, a cam ring carried by each gear wheel, a spindle on which each gear wheel is rotatably mounted, means carried certain position with respect by each spindle and engaged by the gear, a circuit closing disk, a spring mounted behind each gear and bearing upon the same to force the cam members in contact with their attendant means carried by the shaft, whereby in certain relative positions of the shaft and cam the gear may be moved longitudinally, and operative connection between each spring and the said circuit closing disk for the intermittent rotation of the latter.

3. In a time controlled switch, a pair of gear wheels, a spindle on which each gear wheel is rotatably mounted, a pin carried by each spindle and against which the cam ring of its attendant gear engages, the cam ring being formed with a recess in which the pin may engage, a spring bearing upon each gear wheel and tending to move it lon gitudinally along its spindle, a circuit closing disk, operative connections between the spring and the circuit closing disk, and

means for rotating each spindle independent of its attendant gear.

at. In a time controlled switch, a pair of gear wheels, a cam ring carried by each gear wheel, a spindle on which each gear wheel is rotatably mounted, a pin carried by each spindle and against which the member of the gear thereon engages, each cam cam member being formed with a recess within which the pin may engage, a disk toothed on its periphery, contact members with which the teeth of the disk may engage, and operative connections between the gear wheels and the disk whereby either gear wheel may effect partial rotation of the disk to bring the teeth thereof into contact with the contact members for the purpose specified.

5. In a time controlled switch a pair of gear wheels, a cam ring carried by each gear wheel, a spindle on which each gear wheel is rotatably mounted, a pair of circuit closin disks, a pin carried by each spindle and engaged by the cam member of the gear wheel thereof, each disk being formed with a recess in which its attendant pin may' engage, means for moving the gear wheel longitudinally along their spindles when the pins engage in the said recesses operative connections between the gear wheels and the circuit closing disks whereby angular movement may be imparted to the latter upon longitudinal movement of the gear wheels along their spindles, and means for turning the spindle independent of the gear wheels.

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

LEXIE L. FULTJER. 

